The Commission has multiplied contacts to diversify its supplies. The details of the penalty plan envisaged by the twenty-seven of Russia in the event of an offensive against Ukraine remain secret.
by and
While in New York, Thursday, February 17, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Russia was moving towards the war in Brussels, the European leaders were trying to persuade that it could still be avoided . As well as a de-escalation intervene “urgently”, emphasized the chairman Charles Michel.
After a twenty-seven discussion before the African Union Union Summit, the word “unanimity” was on all the lips. “All on the same line, it’s too rare not to be pointed out”, Ironized a diplomat. The absence of the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, stayed in Budapest for a meeting with the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who arrived from Moscow – will probably have facilitated things.
The other keyword of the day was “uncertainty” because the partial withdrawal of Russian troops “can not be taken seriously,” said Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi for example. “No one has any evidence of this withdrawal,” said the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, evoking fighting and bombing in eastern Ukraine coupled with intense campaign disinformation launched by Russian sites, “in order to create a climate of alleged attacks on Russian citizens in this part of Ukraine”.
Even if the pessimism reflected, however, however, to give up the diplomatic channel, hammered the participants. France, for example, did not comment on Mr. Blinken’s alarmist words, except to support his proposal for a new meeting between him and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, next week.
The twenty-seven were also looked at the sanctions, “very heavy and very substantial”, implemented against Moscow in case of aggression of Ukraine. But when could this plan be triggered? “Once the time comes, we will act in a resolute way; when the level of intensity of the aggression will require it,” said Borrell. This will not be in any case before a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian presidents, perspective that the European diplomacy still refuses to avoid.
The details of the plan and its targets remain secret. According to a spokesman for Mr. Borrell, the fundament on the merits should not take place “before it is happening anything (…), because we would only speculate on the potential aggression we would have to react “.
You have 49.83% of this article to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.